<!--StartFragment-->
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">Hi <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">My name is Adam Arvidsson. I've been lurking on the list for a
while,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>but here's my introduction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">I teach sociology at the University of Milano in Italy, which is really
fun and interesting- it's like watching the decline of the modern state<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>form ringside,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>at the same time everybody is really
intelligent and creative ad a lot of things are boiling in papě's dysfunctional
household…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">Presently I'm concluding a book manuscript called 'The Ethical Economy'
- hopefully it will be out in fall 2010, until then you can find the first
draft chapters here (http://www.ethicaleconomy.com/info/book )</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US"> and an article that summarizes the main argument here
(http://sites.google.com/site/adamarvidssonsite/´ - download the attachement
called 'value crisis') .</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">Basically, the book is an attempt to come to terms with the 'massive
transformations in economy, labor, and life' that the Playground & Factory
conference will address in November. <span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>I'm<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>arguing that
we are witnessing the emergence<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>not just of a new mode of production, like social production and peer to
peer, but a new core economic logic. Value is less related to inputs of labour
time, or scarce productive resources in general, and ever more related to the
ability to create sustainable social relations- hence 'ethical economy'. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">So, if Marx claimed that to the extent that General Intellect becomes
the most important factor of production, exchange value will lose its
significance as use value', then I am adding, that instead ethics- in some form
affect, networks, reputation, Whuffie, or what I call 'General Sentiment'-
takes its place. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">I'm also concluding a long run of empirical research on creative labour
and creative industries. Together with some students and activists we've just
terminated a cycle of interviews and a survey on workers in the Milan fashion
industry. Looking at working conditions, motivations etc. It's really
interesting stuff and I hope to be able to bring some of it with my to New
York. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">Finally, I also work at the Copenhagen Business School, where I'm
co-leading a large research project on reputation economies (beginning in
September 2009). In cooperation with the Department of Informatics at the
Danish Technical University we will be trying to model the dynamics of reputation
formation online, and investigate if there is indeed any correlation between
online reputations (or as 'ethical value', and economic valuations on financial
markets. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">I'll keep you updated and pester the list with writings and fragments
for the next couple of month,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;tab-stops:28.3pt 56.65pt 85.0pt 113.35pt 141.7pt 170.05pt 198.4pt 226.75pt 255.1pt 283.45pt 311.8pt 340.15pt;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-US">adam<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="IT"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<!--EndFragment-->
Adam Arvidsson
Associate Professor
Department of Social and Political Sciences
University of Milano
via Conservatorio 7
20122 Milano, Italy
tel. +39-02.503.21209
fax.+39-02.503.21240<br><br>